The beginning of the end is the end of the beginning (unknown philosopher).
The whole world witnessed it. A red supergiant star, Betelgeuse, exploded in a supernova. That star had only one terraformed planet, Betelgeuse VII. 96% of the population was rescued and relocated to a sister planet, Betelgeuse S, located at ten light years away. Press in the whole galaxy commented about this event.
Many planets ask for interstellar help only for a budget deficit. But here, a whole rescue operation, was done alone. The former dictator of Betelgeuse VII, Caligula XIII, came with this plan, to secretly terraform a new planet, boost its economy and then rescue the whole population before supernova. With 161 million refugees, the population increased nearly a hundred times. At first, refugees took nothing with them. They depended on food rations to survive. But even from that moment, they started to work the allocated land and to build small factories. It took only five Earth years until poverty was almost absent. At that moment, Betelgeuse S opened its doors for immigration. Many transgender people or people from rare sexual minorities started to come.
The founder of Betelgeuse VII colony, Caligula I, wanted this planet to be a paradise for transgender people and people from rare sexual minorities. And even if his former planet was hit by the supernova blast, his dreamed paradise continues to exist on another planet. Even more, with the population continuing to increase, people are planning to terraform other planets in the Betelgeuse S system.
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On Betelgeuse S, body transformation technology has reached an incredible level. Many people came there, from the whole world, to transform their bodies. Many willed to change gender. With DNA transformation technology and with organs grown in vitro, such an intervention is now very easy. Many people changed from male to female or from female to male... but later wanted to change back. In response, technicians developed the hermaphrodite S chromosome. From now on, people could be at the same time men and women. But, manipulating the human DNA, up to the point where you change entire chromosomes, has risks. These risks were not well studied at first.
The unusual society that started to form on Betelgeuse VII, became mature on Betelgeuse S.
The way people talk here is strange for many outsiders. First of all, since cross-dressing is very common and the population is a mixture of cis and trans people with many hermaphrodites, it is sometimes very hard to find out the real gender of a person. This is why, people here replaced words he and she with it.
For these people, the terms husband and wife are replaced with partner. Also, children refer as mother to the person that gave birth... but in many cases, things are strange. So, even children refer to both mother and father as parent. But, for an outsider, mother can be a man, be it a person who changed gender or a female or herm that cross-dresses as a man. More complicated is in case of hermaphrodite parents, which can get pregnant with their own semen. In this case, children can have a single parent. Even more, other terms that outsiders are so familiar, here can have very different meanings. If you have a hermaphrodite brother, how would you call it? Also, if your brother cross-dresses into a girl (or even undergoes surgery to become a girl), would you call it a brother or a sister? Here, people prefer the term sis for what outsiders call a brother or a sister. The term brother is used for members of a cult or for very close friends. The term sister, on the other hand, is used by those who are in love. In a family, parents call each other sisters.
Also, it is important to note that on the identity cards, people don't have names, but just a personal identification number. People often change their names at their own will. No gender is specified, too. For an outsider, this would create severe problems, but here, everyone knows well its identification number.
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On Betelgeuse S, a family was formed, between a hermaphrodite and a castrato (former castrated slave brought from UV Ceti). The castrato also undergone surgery with cloned organs, to become a hermaphrodite. They made four children. Scientists expected the children to also be hermaphrodites. In part, it was right. Only in part. However, each child was more a boy or more a girl. The case was carefully studied. In the end, scientists concluded that the problem was more complex. Two of the children had a hormonal disequilibrium, while with the other two, their organisms lacked the receptors for some hormones.
Starting with the age of 10, parents try to find out what gender would their children like to have and what is their sexual orientation. Things are not clear at that age, but it is important to see the path each child wants to go. Each of the four children had their own desire and each one chosen its path. However, among them, there is a different one, which did not made its mind up to the age of 13. This child is a hermaphrodite that looks almost completely like a girl. Its penis did not grow at all and remained very small.
The child was amazed by a series of cartoons, in which, a small girl appeared. It is a version of Cinderella adapted for Betelgeuse VII. The child was more interested in stopping its growth then in choosing a certain gender. Because of this, someone gave it the nickname Piccolina and Piccolina remained its name.
Then, alone in its room, Piccolina watched a documentary about genders: males, females, hermaphrodites and so on. At some point, appeared a shemale, a person that completely looks like a woman but has male genitals.
"Wow! This is what I want to be!" said Piccolina.
Its parents agreed and decided to see what can be done. The technology is advanced enough to do this. So, they used a complex DNA manipulating technology, hormonal treatment and surgery with organs grown in vitro. Piccolina got its dream. From now on, it will have a functional penis with testicles, like men do, will look completely like a woman (except from the bulge sometimes visible while wearing tight pants or leggings) and its height will never grow above its present high, of 1.47 meters.
When Piccolina was 15 Earth years old, Betelgeuse S became habitable and rescue operations started. The little shemale participated active in the rescue and resettle operations, helping relocated people to find their way. At 16, Betelgeuse gone supernova and the last survivals came in. This had a very strong impact on its life. Piccolina loves to listen to their stories. Many, before they came here, suffered of starvation, attacked by bands lurking for food or in towns ruled by maniacs. Many suffered so much. People tell horrible stories. Even cannibalism occurred in some cases.
What is important when you have a large number of people coming in, is to motivate them to do something, to become part of the economy. And Piccolina is the best to do this, convincing people to start a business or to work something.
Piccolina itself started a business: to connect people, to build a site where people can exchange goods, find or ask for a job, even find a partner. The business proved to be a great success.
On Betelgeuse VII, each town had a name and a sheriff to deal with local problems. In rest, all towns were basically the same. On Betelgeuse S, things are far more different. Each town has its sheriff, which acts like a mayor and a judge at the same time, elected by the people. However, people have the right to define many things regarding their town.
There are places where certain types of people live. When terraforming started, the dictator chosen to purchase and use slaves from UV Ceti. Majority of those slaves were castrato people. Even if, by far, their lives here were not as one would expect from slavery, the dictator promised them that, once terraforming is finished, they will have their own villages. This is exactly what happened. Also, many women from the UV Ceti, grown in the body farms to make children, escaped to here. They requested to have their own towns. Also, there are towns where people work in agriculture and towns where factories employ most people. Some rescued people from Betelgeuse VII, that came from certain towns, requested to stay together. Even some of the many sexual minorities requested their own towns.
With such a multitude of themed and non-themed towns, the need for a guide appeared. But who can do this? Who can make such a work without making discrimination? Surprisingly, the only person that did this, is Piccolina. Each town has its own online page, with detailed descriptions of what one would find there. Based on certain key points, Piccolina managed to create its own algorithm. For each town, there will be several ratings, each for a different criteria, with a note from 0 to 10.
For example, the ability to settle in a certain town. A rating of 0 means there is no way to move there, while a rating of 10, means that you will receive a free home. Now, between 0 and 10 are many values. To get this rating, Piccolina has to get some information: Is land available for a home? Do the local people want newcomers? Are they opened for people of other types then they are? What restrictions do exist (for example, related to clothing)? Is this a themed place?
In the end, Piccolina made an encyclopedia of the entire planet. For each town, there are 10 different ratings, all with values from 0 to 10. Then, by clicking on each of the ten ratings, people can see details. This encyclopedia shows that Betelgeuse S is one of the most diverse planets in the galaxy. In other parts, there are themed places, built by a megacorporation, made for an ethnic group or created around a certain theme. There, one will se no or almost no difference, by applying these ratings. Even the Pleiades Empire, with all its over 100 terraformed planets, is by far very uniform compared to Betelgeuse S.
One rating that became the most popular and widely discussed is erotic rating. A value of 0 would define a place like a strict monastery, while a value of 10 is associated to a place where public sex and nudity are rules. The lowest rank a town got is 0.3, while the highest is 9.7. Still, the vast majority remained around 3.
Now, using this encyclopedia, everyone can chose what town to go. And even more, there are people willing to build their own towns, based on their own principles. But, more interestingly, there are people who like to have two or more homes in different towns, to live a double life.
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Seven years have passed since Betelgeuse exploded. It is the year 3084 and Piccolina is now 22, young and a very energetic figure. It is very known by many and highly adaptable to each place. Most of the time, Piccolina sits in its home, working on its computer, but many times, it travels, visiting the so many and so different towns.
But how does Piccolina look like? A short woman, a bit fat. Its hair is long and brown. It wears a knee-long yellow dress, with demi-opaque stockings, transparent shoes with high heels, has long yellow nails and many bracelets. Everyone can see weird symbols and inscriptions from other languages, written with red on the arms, chicks and breast. One more thing: Piccolina is a chain smoker, smoking almost non-stop.
Many tried, but nobody could get into a relationship with Piccolina. Quite nobody. The young shemale refuses anyone and can even become aggressive when forced. Some said that it might be a sfenist... but sfenists don't behave like this. They like to get into a relationship and feel happy and pleased as long as things don't go to sex.
There are people who watch the little shemale, which, after creating the encyclopedia of all towns, became a celebrity. Paparazzi are interested in such a young figure. But, just as they often do, they don't notice the important things. Often, they commented that Piccolina wears no pants underneath. With a hidden camera, they managed to film under its dress and proven that it is a shemale. Even more, paparazzi are more interested if a bulge is visible in front of its dress.
However, the biggest scandal is yet to come...
There is a town, with the number 19548. The locals decided to call that town Onan. And that town is a very interesting place. It has an erotic rating of 8.1. There, people are allowed to masturbate in any place. Public sex is forbidden, allowed only behind closed doors. Also, public nudity is allowed only in some circumstances.
Piccolina arrives to Onan in its flying car and stops the car to explore. Buildings are like in majority of towns. However, very soon, the difference is visible. Piccolina arrives to the central square. There, people are talking and enjoying something. But, some of them are masturbating, face in face with the others. Some have male organs, some have female organs, while others are hermaphrodites. There, Piccolina takes a sit, lights a cigarette, rolls up its dress and exposes its erected penis. Then, masturbates in front of everyone, just like its is normal for that town.
After this, Piccolina is on the news. Asked about this, it answers:
"I am not in love with anyone. I love myself. What I did, is something that, people in Onan find very normal and natural".
Then, asked again, it answers:
"Our planet has an incredible diversity and was built for this, to be a home for the most diverse people, for those who are rejected by others in other places of the galaxy. It should be a shame on you that you judge me for what I am and what I did".
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On Betelgeuse S, there is almost eternal day. The planet rotates around its axis a bit slower then it rotates around the star. Because of this, a day-night cycle lasts over 200 Earth years. Basically, this means that, for a person living all its life in a town, there will be like an eternal day, with the sun fixed in the same place on the sky. And people live only on the illuminated hemisphere of the planet. On the dark side, there are only few mining and industrial towns.
Since there is an endless day, people always see the sky as it is. However, there is one visible star: Betelgeuse. Even if it exploded, the light had not the time to reach Betelgeuse S. It appears as a very dim, copper-red star on the sky. And because the planet orbits around its sun in about ten Earth days, Betelgeuse is always seen moving on the sky. Not other star is visible.
On the dark hemisphere, things are different... but there, no plants can grow and it is very cold too. Still, people come to the dark hemisphere from time to time, They come, to see Betelgeuse, which, there, appears as a very bright, red-orange star, far brighter then all the stars combined. The star died... but the light hadn't got the time to reach here.
Survivals remember very well the last years spent on Betelgeuse VII. It was like living with a sword above your head. They remember how the sun undergone neon fusion, then oxygen fusion, magnesium fusion and finally silicon fusion was approaching. They remember the massive flare that occurred once magnesium fusion started. And as time passed, in 3087, they could see it from here. Well, not the flare itself, but a massive increase in brightness.
Then comes the supernova. Betelgeuse becomes far more brighter then before and blue. The light almost equals that of the red dwarf sun that heats and lights Betelgeuse S. This heats the planet, causing massive storms and hurricanes. Also, the strong X and gamma rays affect the ozone layer. Well, not to the point where this can destroy life here, but it certainly does affect life and people.
Nobody complains about the bright light, break in the ozone layer and huge storms. In fact, people gather and watch the star that destroyed their home planet.
From this distance, the supernova is like the song of a swan. It is said that swans, when they die, they sing the most beautiful song human ears can hear.
In 600 years, people on Earth will see the supernova, which will be visible during day time and will be as luminous as half of a full moon.
Then, after about 30 Earth days, light from the supernova dims gradually, becoming red and finally vanishing from the sky forever. Betelgeuse is gone. The swan has sang its last song.
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After people on Betelgeuse S see the supernova, Piccolina decides to do something. Using mass-media, the shemale, now aged 26, tries to send a manned expedition to see what is left there. Many people agree. Piccolina advises people that such a mission has two advantages. Firstly, nobody must forget its origins and there started everything. Secondly, a supernova produces a high amount of heavy elements, which could be mined there, giving the mission an economic reason. The explosion produced a nebula, that, by now, should be rarefied enough to allow ships to travel. Also, there is a small chance that someone might have survived on the planet... if the planet itself actually survived.
A star as Betelgeuse, when explodes, creates a vast nebula that expands through the space with tremendous speed. But the star itself does not vanish completely. It lets a corpse behind: a neutron star, made of highly compressed matter. The neutron star, made almost completely of neutrons, is in fact the former iron core that collapsed when it could no longer produce energy to survive.
Can a planet survive a supernova? Well, it depends. Certainly, planets don't explode like in sci-fi movies. The blast actually is a very hot and very fast wind of matter, that heats the planet surface, melts the crust and blows it away. Also, a supernova nebula is not homogenous. in some parts, it has gaps, while in others, it is far denser. In case of a gas giant, it will be stripped by its gaseous envelope, revealing the solid core... but the core is very hot and will become liquid or even gaseous when you remove the atmosphere. It all depends on many things. If the planet has a thick enough crust... or if that planet is lucky enough to fit in a gap, it might survive.
There is also another problem. Betelgeuse was huge and heavy, weighting about 22 solar masses. The neutron star which forms is far lighter, weighing only 10% of the initial star. That means far less gravity. So, planets will move far away from the star. Majority will be ejected into interstellar space, but a few will remain orbiting, very far away and on highly elliptical orbits. But still, the neutron star will have its own movement, in a different direction then the star had. Will a planet still orbit the neutron star? Yes, if the star will slightly change orbit and come closer to the planet.
Still, there is another thing, which is more amazing. Planets can form from a supernova. It is possible that the last amounts of matter ejected by the blast will not have enough speed and will form a ring of debris around the neutron star. From this matter, planets can be formed. Well, they need a lot of time to do this... but for now, there could be dust made of heavy and rare elements, very useful for the industry.
But, the main question that everyone is asking is the following one: Did Betelgeuse VII survived? And if it did, is there any chance that someone can still be living there?
Piccolina is the one sent to find out the answers.
